Save her
by Naire.Naire
Summary: Even though Donna's mind was burning she knew she choose it over an empty life without her Doctor. She die before she go back to being the unwanted temp. The Doctor tries to save her from that fate. But Donna's stubborn.


Save her

"Please, don't make me go back! Don't make me go back!" Donna begged him, her mind burning. She was in so much pain and she knew she was dying but she just couldn't let the Doctor wipe her memories. She realized she'd rather die than lose him. She knew he was her best friend, the most important person in her life but now as she stood there before a choice of forgetting him or dying Donna knew she'd choose death.

"Donna please. I can't just let you die!" He said, rushing to her side. When he raised his hands to her temples to wipe her memories she pushed them back with everything she got.

"I'd rather die! You can't make that decision for me! You can't!" She shouted at him, pushing his hands away again. "If there is no other way I'd rather die happy than live empty! Because I will be empty, you can't erase feelings, you dumbo! I will not come back to the life where I am just the stupid Donna, an unwanted temp!"

The Doctor looked into her pained, panicked eyes and sighed. She was stubborn. But how could he just let her die in front of him? He cared so much for her...

"All right. All right, calm down." He said softly and hugged her. "I won't touch your memories, I promise. Just please, let me at least look. Maybe there is some other solution. Maybe I can separate the Time Lord part from your personal memories and remove it somehow?" She looked at him sceptically. They both knew it was highly unlikely. But he had to try to do something. She was burning in front of him. She nodded and he finally set his hands gently on her too warm temples. For a second he was tempted to just do it, just save her without her consent but he knew he couldn't break her trust like that. So he dived in, just to look.

The damage to her brain was getting worse. She was whimpering and holding onto him tightly. He looked around her head, looking for any other solution. He couldn't lose her. She was too important. He'd never forgive himself.

When he calmed a little and at least eased her suffering with fogging her mind he focused on the energy. It looked, felt familiar. It was golden. It was Time Lord. Then suddenly he knew. It was like the regeneration energy! Only incomplete and not enough for the whole body transformation. It was burning her up but the purpose of it was to heal! Just her human mind couldn't take it! That meant it was possible to save her. Maybe.

"Donna. Donna, can you hear me?" He asked her and she nodded, panting for breath. He needed to act fast. "I think I know what to do. I promise I will not erase your memories, only the Time Lord stuff. But it is risky. You could die. Are you sure you'd rather have me try that than safely removing your memories?" He asked, his tone worried.

"Get on with it, Spaceman! I can't stand it any longer! Touch one memory of mine and I'll slap you into your next body!" She managed to say, even though her voice was weaker than ever. He smiled. Same old Donna. Brave, even in that situation.

He took a deep breath. He knew what he'd have to sacrifice for her but he wasn't really thinking about it. He just hoped it worked because otherwise they would both burn. He didn't tell her that, though. His last thought before he went into her head again was that it was a pity – he really liked this body. Then, the golden hue took everything away.

Donna woke up slowly, feeling like she was about to experience the worst hangover ever. What did she do last night? She was lying on something hard, probably a floor. Just great. With a groan, she opened her eyes.

Donna blinked twice, realizing she was lying on the floor in the TARDIS console room. Why would that happen? Were they attacked? And then the memories rushed back to her.

She felt sick. She heard a groan and she thought for a moment she made the sound herself but then she heard it again. Donna looked towards the source and gasped, getting to her feet. The Doctor was lying near her, obviously in pain.

"Doctor! Are you all right?! What did you do?" She knelt beside him and touched his face gently.

"No! Donna! Get away... get... away from me... it will hurt you!" He gasped and then she realized he was glowing. She recognized it from that one time after he got shot by the Dalek. He was regenerating! What the hell happened?!

"Doctor! Talk to me! How do I help you?" She felt panic settling in and she tried to stay focused.

"You can't. But I'm so glad it worked, Donna. You are alive! And you... remember everything. That's all I wanted. Now... move away... before this hurts you again and there won't be anything I could do!" He ordered her with a weak voice and she obeyed. She moved away and leaned on the console, watching him glow more and more. She realized she won't be seeing him again. Not this him. It made her eyes water.

"Donna. Before I go... I just wanted you to know... that I love you..." He said and she gasped at that, covering her mouth with her hand. She couldn't reply – she was too late. He exploded with bright, golden light. When she could look back at him again there lay a man with floppy, brown hair, tall and even handsome in his own way. He gazed up at her and his green eyes were so different yet the same.

"Oh, Doctor!" She gasped, finally letting her tears fall as she knelt by him again. She helped him sit up slowly.

"Donna! So nice to see you! O! New voice. Hello." He babbled at her and the way he spoke was so familiar she just had to hug him, sobbing. He embraced her warmly and petted her hair. "It's all right Donna. You are alive. You have your memories. I'm alive as well. I guess it was a success, yeah?" He grinned and she had to smile back.

"Tell me what happened. And don't try to lie to me or hide something! What did you do to save me? And did you regenerate because of that? Did something went wrong?"

The Doctor sighed and got up, giving her a hand. She stood by his side while he avoided her eyes.

"Oi, Spaceman! Talk! Now!" She demanded and he chuckled at that.

"I've investigated the energy that was killing you. It was very similar to regeneration energy only it felt incomplete. It wasn't trying to kill you, it wanted to heal you! But your human mind couldn't take it. So I forced the regeneration on myself, pushed it into your head and helped your energy to do the healing, erasing the Time Lord sense of time and knowledge. I basically followed the energy as it obviously knew how to help you. Then I took it out of you so it wouldn't hurt you any more. But as I triggered the regeneration, the moment the energy got back to me the process started." He explained honestly to her and Donna couldn't believe it. He forced a regeneration on himself just to save her?! Was he an idiot?! Obviously he was.

"Don't look at me like that. I know you don't feel the same way about me but you are the most important person to me and I care for you enough to give you one of my lives. I'd give you all of them if you needed them." He admitted and she just gaped at him. Suddenly he looked nervous.

"I hope I didn't scare you off with that stupid confession back there. But I was dying and it always feels final..." He wriggled his hands around, not looking at her. He looked like an adorable five year old who stole a cookie. "I promise never to mention that again. And I know that I changed and look different and will act different but please... don't leave me." He whispered the last part and Donna finally got over her shock.

"Oh, you stupid Martian." She whispered affectionately and hugged him tightly. His arms around her still felt like home. "I would never leave. I told you I'd rather die than lose you, right? You are the most important person in my life as well. Just... give me some time, all right? To get to know the new you. To get used to your new look and personality." She smiled up at him and he returned with his own shaky smile.

"Everything for you, Donna."

She shocked him then, placing a chaste kiss at his mouth. His eyes widened and then he grinned like an overjoyed kid and spun her around. She laughed. She was sure it wouldn't be a problem to love him just like she did his previous self.

* * *

Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed this little story. I just couldn't agree with what happened to Donna! I think she deserved at least a similar treatment Rose had. (Well, ok, I love Rose more but still...). The Doctor took the vortex out of her, why couldn't he take the Time Lord stuff from Donna?

Review please :)


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